Perry Courthouse Square Historic District, Roughly bounded by Birch, Elm, Sixth and Seventh Streets, Perry

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-52. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Perry Courthouse Square Historic District is the historic core of commercial development in Perry and Noble County. The period of significance begins with the great land run of September 16, The town was quickly platted, and a significant and cohesive collection of commercial buildings sprung up. The historic district surrounds Courthouse Park and includes many significant commercial and retail businesses including Kemnitz Sinclair Full Service Gas Station, Oklahoma's longest continuously operating service station, and restaurants including the Kumback Cafe, Oklahoma's oldest cafe with the same name and in the same original location. There are 132 buildings within the district: 92 contributing resources (3 previously listed) and 37 noncontributing resources.

The landscape of Courthouse Park ties the historic district together and gives the city of Perry a center for community activities. Description: Contained within the district are approximately thirteen blocks surrounding the square. The boundaries of the district are slightly irregular, designed to include the greatest portion of Perry's historic commercial area, most of which remains intact today. The district has almost level topography, but Delaware and Seventh streets do rise to the west and north where they intersect. The streets are arranged on a grid oriented with the cardinal directions. Streets and sidewalks, dating from the earliest decades of the Century, contribute to the district's historic character.

The streets vary in width, and all have been paved with asphalt except Gene Taylor, Birch, and which retain their historic brick surface. The district is comprised largely of brick and stone, one- and two-story commercial buildings. It contains the majority of historic commercial development. Most of buildings in the district are variations of late-Victorian styles with other examples such Prairie School and Classical Revival. The 5-acre historic courthouse square is actually a rectangle, two blocks wide, east to west, and one block deep, north to south. It is defined by 4 streets that PERRY COURTHOUSE SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT HALS NO. OK-52 PAGE 2 radiate outward into the district. Located inside the square is Courthouse Park the location of many annual events.

The park is landscaped with turf and large shade trees and serves as a design focal point for the many activities and parades taking place around the square. It includes the Noble County Courthouse, Carnegie Public Library, the Post Office, a bandstand and a 16-foot Hopes and Dreams bronze statue honoring the Land Run Pioneers. To date the historic district remains the commercial center of Perry and Noble County. The square is the social heart of the community and provides Perry its historic small town character. History: Perry evolved quickly after the land run of September 16, The town grew quickly with structures of brick and stone.

The central square was platted by Hoke Smith, Secretary of the Interior under the Cleveland administration, as the "Government Acre," now known as Courthouse Park. Typical lots were 25 feet by 150 feet. The Perry Courthouse Square Historic District takes its name from the Noble County Courthouse.

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-52. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Beers, Fred G. The First Generation, A Half Century of Pioneering in Perry, Oklahoma. Perry, OK: The Charles Machine Works, Inc., Williams, Marsha. Perry Courthouse Square Historic District National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. NRIS. Listed September 9, Fitchett, Allen D. History of Noble County, Oklahoma: Colorado State College of Education, Division of Social Studies,

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS OK-52. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Jason McLarty, April 16, Dr. Charles L. Leider, Professor and Faculty Sponsor Landscape Architecture Program Oklahoma State University and ASLA HALS Liaison for Oklahoma charles.leider@okstate.edu PERRY COURTHOUSE SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT HALS NO. OK-52 PAGE 3 View of Courthouse Square with Carnegie Library on left and the Noble County Courthouse on the right (Jason McLarty, April, View looking west down Delaware Street with the Courthouse Square on the left and historic store fronts on the right (Jason McLarty, April, PERRY COURTHOUSE SQUARE HISTORIC DISTRICT HALS NO. OK-52 PAGE 4 Map of Perry Courthouse Square Historic District (Williams, p.